With this watch, your shirt will definitely not slip over the bezel. Because the Rolex “” is a giant for the wrist – and a real record hunter. The model was created as a further development of an experimental watch that was attached to a submarine during a dive trip into the Mariana Trench in 2012 and sent to a depth of 11,000 meters with star director James Cameron.
But the giant was obviously not suitable as an everyday watch at first – because in order to withstand the enormous water pressure at the deepest point of the ocean, a timepiece has to be robust and correspondingly heavy. The “Deepsea Challenge” should now combine everyday life and adventure, because despite its dimensions, it weighs “only” 251 grams, as the watch blog “” reports. But most importantly: With this watch, even the average Joe can dive in the Mariana Trench – without the watch being damaged afterwards.
The first titanium Rolex
The “Deepsea Challenge” owes this above all to a material that Rolex has not previously had in its range. The case is made entirely of lightweight titanium. If the watch were made of steel, according to “Hodinkee”, it would probably weigh around 350 grams – making it the heaviest watch Rolex has ever placed on the market. The platinum “Daytona” with around 280 grams retains the said title.
However, dainty is different. Because the dimensions trump everything that Rolex had previously offered. The “Deepsea Challenge” measures 50 millimeters in diameter and is 23 millimeters high. The glass alone is 9.5 millimeters thick.
However, that alone does not ensure the high level of water resistance, which Rolex has clearly focused on with this watch. In addition to the robust construction, an internal steel ring called “Ringlock”, the screwed “Triplock” crown and a helium valve ensure that no water gets into the watch when diving or that the glass does not jump out of the watch due to pressure.
No date, older movement, high price
As far as the other functions of the watch are concerned, Rolex is very reserved with complications and special equipment. The “Deepsea Challenge” has – unusual for models of the “Sea-Dweller” family – no date and relies on a proven but unspectacular standard movement. Rolex is supposed to justify the missing date by saying that the watch was not built for days of deep-sea research, but for short-term deep-sea adventures, writes “Hodinkee”.
Inside the watch ticks the Rolex “3230” movement with a 70-hour power reserve, which is also used in the Submariner.
The Rolex “Deepsea Challenge” is to go on sale immediately – in the usual small quantities – and is available in Germany at a price of 25,500 euros. The watch also sets a record with this: Rolex models that were not made of precious metals have rarely been so expensive. The deep-sea Rolex is openly aimed at enthusiasts who are looking for a very special watch with unique capabilities – and for whom price is not too important.
Source: Stern
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